Washington Buddhist Vihara celebrates 50th anniversary

by Prof. Swarna Wickremeratne

The beginnings - a tryst with history

The devotees, intellectually curious, and visitors of the Washington Buddhist Vihara are actually the heirs to a noble tradition.

Almost 123 years ago on September 11, 1893, the Parliament of Religions, a unique conference of religious leaders from around the world-and at that point, an unprecedented gathering- held a meeting in the ‘City by the unsalted sea’ otherwise known as Chicago. At this meeting representatives from all parts of the world, clad in robes of white, red, and orange from the Orient mingled with delegates from the West to explore religious harmony, the well-being of mankind, and otherwise consider, religion-their common purpose.

There to represent Buddhism, was none other than the great Anagarika Dharmapala of Ceylon. He carried with him the good wishes of four hundred and seventy-five million Buddhists, and the Dharma message of peace from Buddhism’s founder. Dharmapala asked the question in 1893, “Why do I come here today? Because I find in this new country, in this land of freedom, the very place where this program can be carried out”. He foresaw even as far back as 1893, that America would be the chosen place for a successful Buddhist mission. The prophetic words of Dharmapala’s echo rings true 123 years after they were spoken. It is as it should be, in this place and this historic Vihara that Theravada Buddhism in North America would find its centre.

It was not however, until 1966, that this Vihara officially opened its doors to Buddhists, non-Buddhists, and to those interested in the teachings of the Buddha.

One may call it a divine intervention or perhaps even a type of miracle that in 1964, the Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera visited America, sponsored by the Asia Foundation. And of all days, the Mahanayaka Thera happened to be in Washington on Vesak day.

The Mahanayake Thera was asked to celebrate the religious festival in a park, by the Buddhist community in Washington, with the support of the Sri Lankan Embassy personnel. Perhaps because it was his noble mission in spiritual life to spread the Buddha’s word, he immediately recognised the need for a place of worship for the Buddhist community and those wanting to learn about Buddhism in America.

Temple history

On his return to Ceylon and with a oneness of purpose, the Mahanayake Thera indefatigably went to work on how to make this a reality. He began collecting funds from various sources. Among other sources of support, he looked to the Sasana Sevaka Society, Sri Lankan lay-Buddhists and Americans livings in the United States, for help in establishing the Buddhist Temple in Washington.

The Washington Buddhist Vihara has been an international temple from the beginning, where services were held in English. Buddhists from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, and other Asians in America and the Americans are among the temple’s regular visitors. They came for devotional services and ceremonies, meditation sessions and sutta study classes.

Since the opening of the doors of the Washington Vihara, it was blessed with the services and commitment of many scholarly monks, who took over the administration of the Vihara. The Venerable Bope Vinita, was invited to open the Vihara. He had spent some time studying in Harvard University prior to accepting the administrative position at the new Vihara. In 1966 Ven. Bope Vinita flew from Ceylon to Washington D.C., with a Buddha statue and relics of the Buddha on his lap to start the Washington Buddhist Vihara. Many erudite monks followed Ven. Vinita. The Vihara has become an internationally renowned institution dedicated to learning Buddhist thought, enabling its practice and preserving its culture. The Vihara is a unique spiritual refuge for all who seek freedom of mind and heart.

Introducing Dhamma to children is a challenging task. The Vihara is a Dhamma school to over 85 students. They are taught the Buddhist way of life, Buddhist ethnics, meditation techniques and many other facets of making life better and trouble free. In addition, the Vihara holds Dhamma classes for adults and Dhamma seminars for university students regularly.

To foster the education of Buddhist teachings, the Vihara maintains a library with a rare Buddhist books collection on all facets of Buddhism and maintains a book service. The library is used for research by scholars and university students. This collection of research quality Buddhist books is carefully curated by the temple’s resident monks. These resources have allowed some to become serious students of Theravada Buddhism and others to maintain important social ties as friends and supporters of the Vihara.

Focus

The practice and teaching of Theravada mediation has been the primary focus of the Vihara from its beginning. Meditation classes are held four times a week; group meditation, courses and workshops and retreats are offered under the guidance of internationally renowned meditation master, Bhante Mandawela Pannawansa. He is also a well-known published author in French, English and Sinhala. The Washington Vihara from the beginning encouraged a policy that went beyond ethnic, religious and cultural boundaries.

Visitors to the Vihara get a taste of meditation and depart with a holy thread carefully tied to their wrists by a monk with his blessing for good health, and long life. All these are followed by tea and often exotic food mingled with news from foreign lands and conversation in many different dialects. Visitors often exchange ideas of other cultural practices and inter-faith related dialogue.

Venerable Dhammasiri

The practice of pure simplicity, immense compassion, and absolute sincerity has made the Washington Buddhist Vihara a unique welcoming place for all visitors under Bhante Dhammasiri. Whoever visits the Vihara is made welcome with a pleasant smile and compassionate words.

Bhante Dhammasiri has travelled extensively on his mission of spreading the Buddha word with Maha Karuna, within the United States and throughout the world. In June 2016 Venerable Maharagama Dharmmasisi was invited to Rome to participate in the Interfaith Dialog organised by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Conference.

Bhante Dhammasiri had the rare honor of an interview with Pope Francis, as the only Sri Lankan Buddhist monk at the Conference. In appreciation of his impeccable services as a Buddhists monk to the community, he was made the Chief Sanga Nayake of North America by the Supreme Council of the Amarapura Nikaya in 2003.

The future

The Washington Buddhist Vihara, the ‘Mother of all Theravada Temples in North America’, now has many siblings that follow. Yet, it remains the most luminous star among the many Buddhist Sri Lankan temples that follow in its path. It has become a unique centre-point, under the guidance of great, virtuous monks. It has become a formidable resource towards the cultivation of a Buddhist mind and a vehicle to spread the teachings of the Buddha word in North America. Many dignitaries, Presidents, diplomats among others visit the Vihara on a regular basis.

Finally, I visualise on the sidelines, the younger generation, the flesh of our flesh and the blood of our blood watching us and our every move. Soon they will take the torch and continue this good work. By passing along and inspiring an appreciation of the Buddha’s teaching to the future generation, we can see that the noble Buddhist ideals will survive for the next thousand years. Hopefully, Buddhism will prevail and survive in the lives of our children and their children long after you and I have been reduced to dust and ash and rest knowing we were not here in vain.

The writer is the author of Buddha in Sri Lanka: Remembered Yesterdays.